The Benefits of Owning an Electric Car

EV’s, or electric vehicles and cars, are still an enigma to many drivers. Although a lot has been written and spoken about them in recent times, they remain something of an unknown. Because of this, not many people have made the switch from petrol or diesel cars. Yet, looking ahead, one thing is absolutely certain -- we will all be driving electric cars in the not-too-distant future.

Here, we dispel some of the myths and highlight the advantages of owning an electric car.

1. The Environmental Impact

An electric car is essentially a zero-emission vehicle, meaning they do not emit nasty exhaust pollutants which can cause poor air quality. The obvious advantage to driving an electric car in a densely populated city such as Hong Kong would be a significant reduction in car emissions and pollutants.

Depending on the source of the electricity and how it is produced, driving an electric vehicle instead of a petrol-powered car can help to cut carbon emissions and reduce your personal carbon footprint by up to 50 percent. So, in a nutshell, EV’s can play a big part in helping to control the pollutants and gases that are having such a detrimental impact on the global environment.

2. Fuel Efficiency

When it comes to fuel efficiency, electric cars outperform their petrol rivals. An electric car can convert approximately 60 percent of its fuel into engine power, while a petrol-based vehicle converts roughly 20 percent. This difference of 40 percent goes a long way to ensuring the overall efficiency and reliability of the vehicle.

Despite this added power at the wheels, EV’s are quiet, require less maintenance and are generally a smoother drive compared to a gas-powered car.

3. Charging Up

The average mileage range for a fully-powered EV is 100 miles. This distance would easily cover a round trip for most people to their place of work, or to visit family and friends. If travelling for a distance further than the 100 mile average, a number of EV charging stations are dotted around Hong Kong. In fact, there are 11 in total, with four of those situated on Hong Kong island.

The typical recharge time for a standard EV battery is between four and eight hours, meaning it makes sense to recharge the battery overnight. However, if a quick charge is needed during a journey, 30 minutes can, depending on the vehicle and battery, provide a recharge of up to 80 percent of battery capacity.

4. Cost

The purchase price of an electric vehicle is typically lower than a similar-sized conventional car, although this cost naturally depends on the model involved and the number of cars produced. In an effort to boost EV sales, most countries are offering a number of different incentives which also work to lower the cost of the car. In Hong Kong, for example, electric cars are exempt from the first registration tax until March 2017.

Furthermore, as the international price of oil, petrol and gas continues to fluctuate upwards as a result of the political situation in many of the world’s oil producing countries, most analysts predict that the cost of fueling a conventional car will only continue to rise year-on-year for the foreseeable future.

So, given the low costs of purchasing an electric car, overall maintenance of the vehicle and daily charging, an EV represents a significant long-term cost effective mode of transport in comparison to standard or conventional cars.

5. Insurance

Electric cars can not only reduce your carbon footprint and your fuel and car costs, they can reduce your insurance premium too.

As electric cars are still seen as a relative novelty in many countries, insurance providers are offering very competitive coverage levels and rates for these so-called eco cars. Discounts are also available to those driving an EV, so it is wise to shop around or to let a broker do the work for you. There are financial rewards to reap for driving an electric car and being environmentally friendly, so why not make the transition today?